Free-standing
display units (FSDU)
An in-store display, FSDUs can be a dynamic and creative way to draw customers’ attention and demonstrate a retail product. Typically produced on corrugated cardboard, FSDUs are most often seen in retail environments, but can also be found at tradeshows and events. FSDUs are used as shelves to hold products close to eye-level for customers and, in parallel, are used as a platform for advertising and messaging.
You can produce these displays either by printing the design directly onto corrugated cardboard with a flatbed printer or by printing on a self-adhesive vinyl with a roll-to-roll printer and then laminating the design onto cardboard. Direct printing on a flatbed device is more economical, as it reduces the cycle time significantly and eliminates the need for multiple media types and labor to laminate the design to cardboard. UV-curable flatbed devices are also preferred over solvent printers as they reduce waste and produce output that is dry and ready for finishing right away.
Manufacturers generally offer two levels of flatbed printing technology that are suitable for the production of FSDUs: entry-level products, or industrial printers for low-volume production or prototypes, or high-volume devices. Among these, solutions that offer white inks can be a major benefit to PSPs that want to print high-quality, full-color graphics directly on natural kraft board or on a colored media.
Finishing for FSDUs is simple and involves cutting the display into the appropriate shape with a contour cutting system and then folding the final product so that it’s ready to stand on its own. One thing to keep in mind when producing FSDUs is the viewing distance as this will determine the resolution of the design and the quality used during printing. Always consider how closely consumers will approach the final piece and let this guide your decisions in the quality of the output and materials used. Additionally, the flexibility of the chosen ink is important, as the wrong ink can lead to chipping at the FSDU edges or breaking when folded.